Clay-gun.



E- E BROSIUS.

CLAY GUN- APPLICATION FILED, FEB. 9, I918- 1,288,496 Patented Dec. 24,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- [q I Q ITNESSES Q Mm E. E. BROSIUS.

CLAY GUN.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 191B.

Patented Dec. 24, 1 918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR fixfimug "1. QMQ WQWA to project into CLAY-GUN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 11218.

Application filed February 9, 1918. Serial No. 216,195.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, EDGAR E. Bnosros, a resident of Pittsbur h, in the connt of Allegheny and State 0" Pennsylvania, iaye invented new and useful Improvement n Clay-Guns, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference be ng had to the accompanying drawings,form1ng part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a clay gun embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section.

Fig. 3 is a view, partly in end elevation and partly in transverse vertical section.

Fig. l- 1s a detail view showing the clayfeeding valve and its actuating means.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the valve seat for the gun-actuating cylinder, and

Fi': 6 is a bottom plan view of the valve whic 1 controls said cylinder.

' My invention has relation to clay guns such as are used in plugging tapping holes in blast furnaces at the completion of each furnace casting operation; and is designed to provide a gun of this character with means which will operate automatically to feed clay thereto during the operation of the gun.

The -nature of my invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown a preferred embodiment thereof and which will now be described, it being premised, however, that the invention is susceptible of various changes within the scope of the appended claims.

In these drawings the numeral 2 designates the clay gun, 3 the piston thereof, i the piston rod and 5 a piston on said rod within the fluid pressure cylinder 6 for actuating the un. These parts, as thus far de- 5 scribed, are of well known character.

In accordance with my invention, 1 pro vide the gun with a clay-feeding cylinder or hopper 7, having a. lower throat portion 8, the bottom opening of which registers with a feed opening 9, extending into the rear portion of the gun. 10 designates a clay feed controlling valve, which is rotatab-ly mount ed across the opening 9 above the barrel of the n and which has therethrough a clay feeding opening 11. This valve is provided with a centrally recessed hub portion 12 in which is'pivotally mounted a tappet member 13, which extends outwardly and is arranged the barrel of the gun in position to be engaged by the gun piston 3. The recess in the hub portion 12 is made somewhat larger than the cross sectional dimensions of the tappet member so that the latter has alimited amount of independent movement on its pivot.

14 designates a feed piston or" plunger mounted in the cylinder 7 andhaving the upwardly extending rod or stem 15 which projects through the top stufiing-box 16. The cylinder 7 is shown as being hinged or pivoted at its lower portion at one side, as indicated at 17, and may be normally secured in its upright position by a pin 18 engaging the projecting lugs 19 and also passing througi some member of the gun, such as the suspending member 20. This suspending member 20 is shown as being of described in the Berg Patent No. 1,1213% of December 15, 1914. 1

The cylinder 6 is a double-acting cylinder and the piston 5 may be actuated by compressed air or steam. In the following de scription it will be assumed that steam is the motive fluid.

21 designates a steam chest mounted on the cylinder 6 and supplied by a pipe 22. 23 designates a slide valve mounted to reciprocate on the seat 2 1- within said chest and which is arranged to, control the ports 25, leading to opposite ends of the cylinder 6 and also the two exhaust ports 26 and 27. For this purpose the valve is provided in its seating face with 29. The exhaust 26 which is operated on the forward stroke of the piston 5 is shown as leading to the atmosphere through a suitable mufller 30. The exhaust 27 which is operative during the reverse stroke of the piston 55, is connected with. the upper portion of the clay cylinder 7 above the piston 143 by means of the pipe 31. This pipe is preferably provided with a relief valve 32 to prevent the exhaust ressure from rising above a predetermined 'imit and thereby preventing the complete return movement of the piston 5.

33' and 34: designate two electromagnets of the solenoid type, the plungers 35 of which are connected t the rod 36 of the valve 23, These magnets are arranged to be alternately'energized by means of a suitable switch 37 which, with its connections, maylpre arganged as shown diagrammatically in the form two ofiset recesses 28 and member 12 to move it to --gagement of the mined by watching the The operation is as follows:

The gun 2 is filled with clay in the usual manner, either through the muzzle or through the feed valve when the clay cylinder is turned over into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The clay cylinder or hopper is also filled, or partially filled. The gun is then operated in the usual manner to discharge the clay in the gun into the tapping hole of the furnace. This operation is effected by the usual control valve at the operators station, which controls the admission of pressure through the pipe 22. During the discharging stroke of the gun piston8, the magnet 33 is energlzed to shift] the valve 23 so as to admit steam through the rear end portion of the cylinder 6, as indicated in Fig. 8. After the clay dis-i charging stroke of the piston 3, the switch 37 is thrown to deenergize the magnet 33 and energize the magnet 34, thus shifting the valve 23 to admit steam to the opposite end of the cylinder 5 and thereby return the pistons 3 and 5. to their former positions. During its forward or discharging move ment, thepiston 3 has engaged the tappet the position shown in Fig. 4", thereby closing the valve 10. On the return stroke of said piston 3, the enpiston with the tappet arm rotates the valve back to the open position shown in Fig. 2; and the. exhaust steam from the rear end portion of the cylinder passes through the pipe 31 and into the upper portion of the clay cylinder 7, thereby forcing clay through said. valve into the gun. The operator then again reverses the electric switch 37 and drives the piston 3 forward again, again shutting the valve, and this cycle of operations'is continued until all the clay in the cylinder 7 is discharged into the tappet hole. This can be deterpiston rod 15 sink to its lowest level.

It will be readily seen that the slight in dependent movementwhich is permitted the valve tappet member enables it, at the con. clusion of each of its movements, to drop vto a position where it will be engaged by the piston 3 on its next stroke, to thereby insure the proper opening and shutting of the valve.

By utilizing the exhaust steam on the return stroke only ofthe piston 5,, ll am able to obtainsuilicient x inder 7 to insure the discharge of the proper amount ofclay into the gun; while leaving the, exhaust free during the forward. stroke of the pistons and thereby not retarding or hindering their movements in this direction. The clay cylinder 7 can be recharged by re, turning it into theposition shown in full lines in Fig. '1, and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and inserting clay therein through its suitable valve, or

ressurein the clay cyl-v operation of said valve; "scrlbed.

1 ,aeaeao bottom opening; or any other suitable means may be provided whereby clay can "be introduced therein.

The advantages of my invention will be apparent to those familiar with the operation of guns of this character, since, after the initial discharge of the gun in each tappet hole plugging operation, sufficient additional clay will be automatically fed into the gun and be discharged to insure making a good hole; and enabling the entire plugging operation to be carried out very quickly. There is, of course, ample time between successive tapping operations to enable the clay cylinder and gun to be recharged, as-such tapping operations usually only take place every three or four hours. In order to return the cylinder 7 into recharging position, it is, of course, necessary to disconnect the pipe 31 and said pipe may be provided with a detachable coupling or union 31 'for this purpose. I

It will be obvious that instead of 'actuating the clay valve by a tappet connection extending into the gun in the manner shown, said valve may be connected in various ways so as to be automatically shifted by the operation of the gun. Also that any valve shifting means, may be employed for controlling the admission of fluid pressure to the cylinder v6 andfor controlling the exhausts from said cylinder- Also that various other changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing 100 from the scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A clay gun'having a clay-feeding reser voir mounted thereon, said reservoir com-. municating with the chamber of the gun, means for-creating a discharging pressure on the clay in the reservoir, and valve means controlling the communicationv between the. reservoir and the chamber of the gun, substantially as described. V i

2. A clay gun having a clay-feeding reser voir mounted thereon, a piston in said reservoir, means for admitting fluid pressure into the reservoir behind thepiston, and a valve controlling "the outlet from the reservoir into the cylinder; substantially as described.

3. The combinationwith a clay gun having a piston, and an actuating cylinder for said piston, of a clay reservoir mounted on the gun to discharge clay into the chamber thereof and having an opening leading into said chamber, valve means for controlling the opening, and means operated by the movement ofthe gun piston for effecting the substantially as de- 4. The combination with a clay gun having a piston and an actuating cylinder for sald piston, of a clay reservoir mounted on the gun to discharge clay into the chamber thereof, valve means for controlling the discharge, and means actuated by the movement of the gun piston for shifting said valve; substantially as described.

5. The combination With a clay gun having a piston, and an actuating cylinder for said piston,of a clay reservoir mounted on the gun to discharge into the clay chamber thereof, and means for utilizing the exhaust of said cylinder for eflecting such discharge of the clay; substantially as described.

6. The combination with a clay gun having a piston, and an actuating cylinder for said piston, of a clay reservoir mounted on the gun to discharge into the clay chamber thereof, and means for utilizing the exhaust of said cylinder for effecting such discharge of the clay, together with means actuated by the gun for automatically controlling such discharge; substantially as described.

7 T he combination With a clay gun having a piston and an actuating cylinder for said piston, of a clay reservoir mounted on the gun to discharge into the clay chamber thereof, valve means for controlling the discharge, means actuated by the movement of said piston for shifting 'said valve, and means for utilizing the exhaust from said cylinder to effect the discharge of clay from said reservoir into the gun; substantially as described.

8. The combination with a clay gun having a piston and an actuating cylinder for said piston, of a clay reservoir mounted on the gun to discharge into one chamber there of, ofa feed piston or plunger in said reservoir, and means for utilizing the exhaust pressure from said cylinder to actuate the feed piston or plunger; substantially as described.

9. The combination of a clay gun having a piston and an actuating cylinder for said piston, of a clay reservoir mounted on the gun to discharge into the clay chamber thereof, of a feed piston or plunger in said reservoir, and means for directing the exhaust pressure from said cylinder during the backward stroke only of the gun piston for actuating the feeding piston or plunger; substantially as described.

10. A clay gun having a clay feeding reservoir mounted thereon, and means whereby said cylinder may be moved on its pivot to bring it into position to be filled with clay through-its lower end; substantially as described. 11. The combination with a clay gun having a piston and an actuating cylinder for said piston, of a clay reservoir mounted on the gun to discharge into the'clay chamber thereof, a shiftable valve forcontrolling the admission of fluid pressure to said cylinder and the exhaust therefrom, magnets for shifting said valve, and means for controlling said magnets, together with means whereby exhaust pressure from the cylinder may be conducted into said reservoir; substantially as described.

12. The combination with a clay gun having a piston and an actuating cylinder for said piston, of a clay reservoir mounted on the gun to discharge into the clay chamber thereof, said cylinder having separate exhausts for its forward and return strokes, a valve for controlling said exhausts, and means for directing exhaustlpressure from said cylinder into said-reservoir; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

EDGAR a. BROSIUS. 

